Brief by Marcia Darnell
San Luis Valley – July 2002 – Colorado Central Magazine
Bright Side
The drought plaguing the San Luis Valley has an up side: The Alamosa River — what there is of it, that is, is the cleanest it’s been since the Summitville spill. Lack of snowmelt at the Superfund site means lack of cyanide-laden runoff in the river. Officials say Terrace Reservoir has healthy fish in it, and insect life is reappearing, too.
Another bright spot: There are very few, if any, mosquitoes in Saguache.
Dunes Park Closer
The Baca Ranch was foreclosed in an official ceremony with three people in attendance. Vaca Partners was the only bidder, at $34,367,145.87. The property is now a major step closer to being acquired by The Nature Conservancy and becoming part of the Great Sand Dunes National Park.
C&T Trouble
The Cumbres & Toltec Railroad was in trouble when the Federal Railroad Administration closed two sections of the rail line due to unsafe trackage. The news came just before the train was to start running for the summer, leaving merchants in Colorado wondering if they’d have any business this summer.
Then the news came: It would be the New Mexico end of the line that will be idle. Passengers will embark from Chama and journey to a turnaround in the mountains, returning to Chama. C&T workers planned to steam through the repairs, but then the Forest Service put the brakes on the whole thing, banning the train from running (and presumably throwing off sparks) in Carson National Forest.
Planning Pits
The new building intended to house Alamosa County offices is already too small, before construction has begun. The employees of the departments to be moved were told that the building would be finished this autumn, a goal date since revised to January.
Salazar Steps In
The state attorney general will try to resolve the voting rights lawsuit against Alamosa County. The case charges that the county’s system of electing commissioners at large, rather than by districts, discriminates against Hispanic voters. The AG, Ken Salazar, also kicked off his re-election campaign in the Valley, whence he hails.
Brief Briefs
* Ruthie Brown, creator and coordinator of the Sunshine Festival, has called it quits, citing lack of support for the event by the city administration.
* The week-long Wildfire Academy drew participants from around the nation and pumped over $600,000 into Alamosa’s economy.
* The city of Alamosa has budgeted $400K to meet federal standards for arsenic levels in drinking water.
* The someday-to-be convention and cultural center (location in Alamosa undecided) will be called the Valley Gateway Center.
* The Valley Humane League animal shelter has closed temporarily due to a financial shortfall.
* After all the debate and ado, Alamosa County won’t accept the INS offer for jail expansion funds.
* Bids for the new Alamosa rec center are actually below estimates. Many expect hell to freeze over this summer.